More than 7,500 bicycle accidents were reported in New York State in a recent year, including crashes that caused 50 fatalities. While it is impossible to know where each of these wrecks occurred, communities large and small can experience these potentially severe accidents. Riding safely involves knowing what the towns and parts of town are where you are least likely to be hurt.

The City of Utica has infrastructure and features that may make it seem like a bike-friendly city; that is, one that is welcoming of and that promotes cyclist safety. Even so, just as every city in New York is not as accommodating to cyclists as Utica, not every neighborhood in Utica is equally safe and accessible to those riding bikes.

Features of a Bike-Friendly Neighborhood

Various factors should be considered when considering what areas of Utica bicyclists will find the most inviting. 

The friendliest parts of town will be those that possess one or more of the following qualities:

  • Presence of infrastructure like bike lanes, shared paths, and bike-friendly traffic signals
  • Ability to quickly and safely access nearby neighborhoods and communities
  • Accessible shops, restaurants, and other amenities
  • Decreased motor vehicle traffic volume on neighborhood streets
  • Lower speed limits for motorized traffic

In addition, neighborhoods with wide streets and fewer visual obstructions tend to be more friendly to bicyclists. These characteristics make it easier for motorists to see a bicyclist and avoid a collision.

Top Bikeable Utica Neighborhoods

While these areas are becoming more bike-friendly, bicycle accidents in Utica still occur — making it essential to know where safer routes and infrastructure are in place.

Some of the most inviting neighborhoods for your next bike ride in Utica include the following communities:

Downtown

A complete redesign of Genesee Street is just one of several improvements the city has made to attract bicyclists to the downtown area. Riders will find bike lanes to help separate them from motor vehicle traffic, wider streets to better accommodate bicycles and motor vehicles, and easy connections to trails that lead to other parts of the city.

Cornhill

Located south of downtown, Cornhill may not presently look like much of a bike-friendly community. However, community leaders plan to add bike lanes to the neighborhood’s roads to improve safety. Additional planned improvements include an urban fitness loop, more green spaces, and improved connectivity within and outside Cornhill.

East Utica

Like Cornhill, East Utica is slated to receive several upgrades and improvements that will further improve the neighborhood’s bikeability. Presently, the area offers connectivity to the Erie Canalway Trail and Empire State Trail, two popular off-road shared-use trails. Modifications to Broad Street and the Genesee Street Bridge will further improve accessibility.

West Utica

Bicyclists in West Utica can also access the Erie Canalway Trail and other bike trails. Utica’s on-road bike loop, which allows cyclists to travel to other parts of the city, is also accessible from West Utica. This bike loop allows cyclists to reach several of the city’s amenities, such as the F T Proctor and Roscoe Conkling parks.

Utica Is a Work in Progress

Utica’s neighborhoods, including Downtown, Cornhill, and Utica East and West, have varying amounts of infrastructure and features designed to make them inviting and accessible to bicyclists. Several of the more bike-friendly communities presently have or anticipate receiving bike lanes, wider roads, or additional trails and paths to accommodate more bicyclists. 

As they are completed, these and other future infrastructure improvements in Utica will further make bicycling in Utica safer and more enjoyable. These improvements will also make it easier for cyclists to access various parts of the city safely.